Nigeria Content Online

Tragedy was averted
in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday when a tanker loaded with fuel
crushed 10 vehicles in a row, after the driver lost of control of the
truck.

NEXT investigations
at the scene of the accident, in Ijaiye area of the town, revealed that
the problem started at about 10am when the tanker driver was
manoeuvring his way into the Oando Petrol Station to off-load his cargo.

As the driver was
about driving into the station, located in a hilly area, the truck
suddenly developed a brake failure, causing the vehicle to descended to
the major and busy Ijaiye Road.

The driver began shouting on top of his voice to intimate residents, passersby and motorists about the looming calamity.

Running for safety

As they heard him,
people ran helter-skelter for safety and motorists immediately ran out
of their various vehicles. Several of these vehicles were crushed by
the tanker, but no life was lost.

As at the time of
visiting the scene, the driver of the tanker was said to have taken to
his heels, apparently to avoid any possible attack by owners of the
destroyed vehicles.

Taiwo Samson, the
head of the state road transport management agency, the Rescue, Traffic
Compliance and Enforcement Corp (TRACE), who led his team to the scene,
said the team immediately contacted the State Fire Services.

“We got a telephone
call and had to race down here,” he said “It was on getting here we
discovered the havoc the truck had caused. But luckily for all, nobody
was killed in the accident.” At the scene, staff of the fire services
were on standby to prevent any outbreak of fire, while the road was
also blocked.

Rasheed Sowole, a
transporter in the area, said the incident showed the need by the
government to discourage people from parking vehicles they intend to
sell, on roadsides.

He said such
vehicles contributed to the confusion of the truck driver, who was
trying to avoid them before he lost control of the truck.